Crossing Fight School highlights Liechtenauer longsword class on June 7

Crossing Fight School used its June 7 class to make one thing plain: this is a Liechtenauer longsword school first, and a generic medieval martial arts label second. Mike “The Colonel” Sanders led the scheduled session, giving the club a familiar face at the front of a program built around German longsword, sparring, dagger work, and the kind of weapon study that rewards repeat attendance.

That matters because the school does not present itself as a drop-in hobby night. Crossing Fight School describes itself as a branch of the Medieval European Martial Arts Guild and says its core curriculum comes from the teachings of Johannes Liechtenauer. It also says newcomers get a free first lesson, plus time after class for questions and guidance, which turns the June 7 session into more than a single practice block. For someone trying to get from first steps to active sword work, that structure is the story.

The Liechtenauer focus gives the club’s training real historical weight. The tradition tied to Johannes Liechtenauer is one of the best-documented German fencing lineages, preserved across many manuscripts and books over nearly three centuries. Wiktenauer, the major HEMA reference project named for Liechtenauer, began in 2009 and tracks that material in depth. Crossing Fight School’s decision to anchor its weekly rhythm in that source tradition signals a curriculum with a clear spine, not just medieval branding.

Sanders is not a one-class novelty either. Crossing Fight School has repeatedly put his name on the schedule, including a Hungarian sabre class on January 11, 2026, Bartitsu sessions on April 13 and August 24 of 2025, and another Bartitsu class on July 14, 2024. That history suggests the June 7 longsword session sat inside a broader teaching rotation built around a recognizable instructor, not a one-off special.

The club’s own online presence also places it inside a larger regional network. It says Crossing Fight School represents the Medieval European Martial Arts Guild in New Jersey and the greater Philadelphia area, studies German longsword primarily from the Lichtenauer tradition, and works with Bucks Historical Longsword in Richboro, Pennsylvania as well as The Philadelphia Common Fencer’s Guild during tournaments and special events. That makes the June 7 class part of a wider pipeline for students who want structured instruction, regular training partners, and a clear path into competitive HEMA work.